Interlock for regular and independent voting mechanism.



N0. 840,521. PATENTED JAN. 8, 1907. J. N. SHBPARDSON L C. H. PITNEY.

INTERLOCK FOR REGULAR AND INDEPENDENT VOTING MEGHANISMS.

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l/V VEA/'Tom e Jeoleoliah N She/saumon 2,2 N Char/es H. Pi +r; e y. d

ATTORNEY.

No. 840,521. PATENT-ED IAN. 8, 1907. J. N. SHEPARDSON & G. H. PITNEY; INTERLOCK FOR REGULAR ND INDEPENDENT VOTING MEGHANISMS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.13.1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wnesses.- I nvenots km Jddiah Nhe/vandaan Charles H. Pain ey. d

www. @Wma N the machine,

'all of the ofiices to lmechanism,

UNITED STATE S OFFICE.

f y 'MASSACHUSETTS ASSIGN ORS TO TRIUMPH VOTING MACHINE COM- PANY, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTSA CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

INTERLOCK l--OR REGULAR AND INDEPlENDENT VOTING MECHANISM.

Speccation of Letters Patent Patented Jan. 8, 1907.

Application filed August 13,1906. Serial No. 330,376. i

To @ZZ wil/077?, t may concern.-

Beit known that we, JEDEDIAH N. SHnP-y ARDsoN and CHARLES H. PITNEY, citizens of I the United States, residing at Pittseld, j county of Berkshire, State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Interlock for Regular and Independent Voting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification. 's invention relates to that portion of the mechanism of .voting-machines which lenables an independent voter to cast his vote for candidates of his own selection for any or be voted for wholly independently of party nominations. L A roll of paper, called an "independ'entvoting sheet, is rovided, which is carried by a vertical roIlcr, called the supplyroller, from which it passes to a receivingroller, being drawn over an intermediate 'backing-plate which supports it while votes are written thereon. A vertical series of voting-apertures is provided in the front plate of which are protected by sliding shutters. I' 7hen a shutter is opened, a portion of the independent-voting sheet is disclosed, upon which a vote may be written. After votin'gthe voter operates mechanism, which we shall simply referto as operating which by means of intermediate connections closes the shutter or shutters which he has opened and locks them and also actuates the receiving-roller to draw the independent-voting sheet forward and place a fresh portion of its surface in position on the backing-plate for a vote or votes to be written thereon by the next independent voter.

The invention consists in certain constructions and in certain parts, improvements,

Vlar-party-voting mechanism and combinations by which when the regupertaining to anyv o ce is operated the shutter is retained in the closed osition, so that an independent vote cannot e cast for that ofIice, and when the purpose of casting an independent vote the regular-voting' mechanism pertaining to that oiiice is locked, thus rendering it impos-y sible to cast a regular vote.

With this object in View we have devised the novel. mechanism, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specication,'sinn1ar .frame being broken away,

reference characters being used in the several gures to indicate the parts. Y

Figure 1 is a rear elevation, a portion of the showing so-much of the mechanism of a voting-machine in the non-voting and voting positions as is necessary to illustrate theprescnt invention; Fig. 2, a section on the line II II in Fig. 1 looking` down; Fig, a vertical section on -the line III III in Fig. l looking toward the right; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line IV IV in Fig. 1 looking toward the right.

he drawings show the invention as applied to the Triumph voting-machine.

10 denotes the front late of the machine 11, a standard; 12, wedge-bars or resettingslides; 13, a vertical tie-bar by which the i11- ner ends of the wedge-bars are connected 14, restricting-bars ,z 15, voting-apertures in the front plate 16, shutters; 17, voting-apertures in the shutters, and 18 a shutter-closing The voting-apertures in the front plate and shutters correspond with the number of ofiices which may be voted for. The'shutters reciprocate in ways 19 on the inner side of the ont plate, and each shutter is provided 'with a'iinger-piece 20, extending through the corresponding aperture in the front plate for oonvenience in manipulation.

21 denotes the flexible members`in the whi ject inward from the front through slots 23 'in the shutters. ent instance slots' 23 are continuous with voting-aperture 17, although this structure is immaterial. The chain shown in the drawings is an ordinary style of chain, consisting of alternate single and double links. Near the inner end of each chain is an operatinglink 24, in the present instance the second link, which is a double link. the shutter is moved to the open position for 26 denotes a pin projecting from the faces of the operating-linkin the present instance from arms 25, projecting 'centrally from the members thereof. The end of said pin toward the front of the machine engages a camslot A27 inthe corresponding shutter and is also adapted to engageV the corresponding restricting-bar for a purpose presently to be ex.

roo j plained. .Each cam-sist 1s shown as coms,

35 when the restricting-bars are in ltheir opera- Y 4o the end oi the corresponding pin 26 toward` 45 26 will be at the .upper end of t e incline of 5o stricting-bars rest and are longitudinally 55 gaged by shutter-closing bar 18, which moves 6o or non-voting osition, we provide each shut- 6 5 vi ed with fingers/43, which engage p ins or prising an inclined portion-in the present inlugs 44, projecting from the locking-pawls,

stance shown as extending downward from and swin the engaged pawls out voi' engage-.f1

left to right, intersecting a horizontal porment wit the racks each time' the closingtion. The direction of inclination of the i bar is operated by a voter. after the voting construction that may be varied to suit the t ere are no engaged pawls unless av shutter requirements of variant constructions. The has been moved4 toward. the voting position. end of each pin 26 extending toward the In the present instance we have fshown the back of the machine (toward the point o'r` shutter-closing bar as connected to racks 45, io view as seen in Figui) is ada ted to enga e a which reciprocate in ways 46 upon the front 75' corresponding recess 28 in t e tie-bar w en plate and are engaged by pinions'47 on a verf the latter is in the non-voting position, theretical shaft 48, journaled in brackets 49, atby locking the shutters in the closed osition, tached to the frame of the machine, the opit being understood, oi course, that t e reguerating connections of v shaft 48 not being I5 lar voting devices are locked in the non-votshown', as they form no portion of thev present 8o ing position by the wedge-bars.

invention. 29 denotes regular-voting shafts which are 50 denotes the independent-votin sheet, journaled in the standards, 30 voting-levers which is wound upon va supply-rolle 51- and carried thereby, and 31 locking-lugs projectpasses tovareceiving-roller 52, a portion'oiI y 2o ing vfrom the voting-shafts and engaging the said sheet intermediate said rollers passing 85 iicxible members.A The wedge-bars are prooverl a backing-plate 53 ,flying contiguous to vided with inclines 33, up which the lockingthe voting-apertures in the front plate The lugs ride when being returned to the nonvreceiving-roller is actuated to'wind the indevoting position by movement of the wedgependent-voting sheet by means or`v suitable 25 bars toward the left, an operation which is mechanism wholly omitted from the draw- 9o performed by mechanism operated by the ings, for the reason' that said mechanism voter after the voting operation and which is forms no portion of the present invention, not shown, as it forms no portion of the pressaid mechanism being itself actuated 'by ent invention. When in the non-voting. po-

h means of an oscillatory shaft .54,having 1n-f zo sitiOn, the locking-lugs are locked by engage- -war'dlyextending 55, corresponding 95 ment with the high portions of the wedge- 'with the shutters. ach pinis adapted to be bars, which are specifically indicated by 84.- engaged by therear end of a shutter, so that The restricting-bars are provided with porthe opening of a single shutter will effect-a tions 36, upon which the locking-lugs rest connection that will make the mechanism `o erativ'e to feed the independent-voting roo s eet forward when--said mechanism is operated by the voter after the voting operation, the opening of additional shutters having' no effect upon the mechanism.

The operation is as Jfollows: Iii the normal io 5 position of .the parts eachiiexible member tive position-that is, in position to prevent votes being cast for' candidates in the corresponding line. At the inner end of each restricting-bar is a rest 37 which is engaged by the Jioiit of themachine and which serves as a lock for the' corresponding shutter, as shown in Fig. 1- that is to say, when the restricting-bar is in its operative osition pin Suppose now that a voter does not desire to line of names of candidates, but does desire to vote independently for that'oiiice. The voter by means of the nger-piece will open the corresponding shutter. This will cause in 26 to travel down the incline of cam-slot i i 5 27 and into the horizontal portion thereof, as is clearly shown in connection with the third chain iroin the bottom in Fig. 1. The eiiect of this movement will be to deiiect the chainl downward and take the entire slack outof izo said chain, so that it will be impossible to operate a regular-voting device in that horizontal line. Whenthe voter leaves. the machine afterthe voting operation,'he operates mechanism (not shown in the drawings) which 1 2 5 by! means of connections (not .hewn in the drawings) i moves the wedge-bars and rtie-b ai'. from the position shown below the break in Fig. Lto the position shownv at the top in Fig. .'1Mand,f in-,Fig. 2.' 'It will benoted 13o cani-slot 27 and will be locked there by the rest, so that it will be impossible to open the shutter for the purpose of recording an independent vote. The wedge-bars and the removable upon abutments 38, formed integral with the standards. The rear ends of the shutters are provided with inwardlyturned ears .39, which are adapted to be enorizontally and acts to return all opened shutters to the closed position.

`In order to lock a partly or wholl opened shutter against being returned to tiie closedv ter with a loc lng-pawl 40, pivoted upon a stud 4l', projecting inward from the shutter, which engages a rack 42 upon the correspondin way 19. The shutter-closing bar is procli'ne'd portion of the slot is a mere detail of o eration, it being understood, of course,that x7-o vote'for anycandidate in a certain horizontal vi'ics that in the non-voting position of the (see upper portion of Fig. 1) the ends o 26 toward the back of the machine are reth ceived by recesses 28 in the tie-bar and are locked therein, so that none of the shutters bar are again moved to the position shown below the break in Fig. 1. his operation is performed by mechanism and connections Io (not shown in the drawings) which are operof ated by the voter prior to the votingoperation.

It, has already been explained that the opening of a shutter for independent voting -takes the slack out of`i. e.,-tightens-the corresponding iiexible member, so that the 5. I

corresponding regular-voting devices cannot be operated. The return of the shutter to the closed position Would of course loosen t'he zo flexible member again, so that a regular-voting device could be In order to prevent this and 2 5 provide the pawls40 upon the shutters, which wholly opened.

In order to prevent a restricted voter from 3e voting independently, the restrictin -bars are provided with the rests 37, Whic pass under the ends of pins 26 toward the front of` h the machine and lock said pins in the upper ends of the inclines in cam-slots 27, thus pre- 3 5 venting'any movement of the shutters, it being of course understood that the restrictingbars prevent the operation of the regular-voting levers.

Having thus described our invention, We 4o claim` 1. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with a series of regular-voting devices and a lieXible member having suhcient slack to permit the operation of a single voting device, and provided with a pin, of an independent-voting shutter having a cani-slot engaged by said pin, o ening of said shutter acting to tighten the eXible member and lock the regular-voting'de- 5o vices. 2. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination With a series of regular-voting devices-and a I'iexible member having sufficient slack to permit the opera- 5 5 tion of a'sinffle voting device?, and provided With a pin, o an independent-voting shutter having a cam-slot engaged by said pin, and means for locking said voting devices and shutter in the non-voting position. 6o, 8. I the character den a mechanism of scribed, the combination With a series of regular-votinv devices and a exible member having sufficient slack to permit the operation of a single voting device, and provided 6 5A with a pin, o an-independent-voting shutter arts having a cam-slot engaged by said pins Wedge-bar for locking the voting devices in e non-voting position and a tie-bar havin a recess engaged by the pin to lock the shut-- v ter in the non-voting position. can be opened until the Wedge-bars and tie- 4. I

ing

a cam a locki slides gaged by the paWl to lock the 'shutter against return movement after it has pin, a

n a mechanism of the character deing a cam-slot engagedby said pin, and a restricting-bar adapted to be engaged by said 'pin to lock the shutter at the non-voting position against av restricted voter. n a mechanism' of the character de" scribed, the combination with a series of regular-votin devices and a ien'ible member having sui tion of with a pin, of an independent-voting shutter having a cam-slot engaged by said pin, and

means for locking thevshutter against return movement after it has the voting position.

6.` In a mechanism of the character 'decient slack to permit the operaa single voting device, and providedbeen moved toward aving su cient slack to permit the opera tion of a' single voting device, and provided vwith a pin, of an independent-voting shutter aving a cam-slot .engaged by said pin, and means for locking the shutter against return movement after it has the voting position, and means for disengaging the loc ter to the non-voting position.

'In a mechanism scribed, the combination With a series of regular-votin having s been moved toward g means and returning the shutof lthe character vvde'- devices and a eX'ible member cient slack to permit the operation of a single voting device, and provided with a pin, o

aving a cani-slot engaged by said carrying a locking-pawl and a wayin which the shutter slides and which is provided with a rack ter against return movement after it has been moved toward the voting position.

In a mechanism'I of the character described, the combination Witha series of votdevices and' a' leXi sufhcient slack to permit the operation of a single voting device, and pin, of an independent-voting shutter having -lslot engaged by said pin, and carrying an independent-voting shutter in, and

engaged by the pawl to lock the shutle member having provided with a ng-paWl, a Way in which the shutter and which is provided With a rack enbeen moved toward the votingf'position and a closing-bar adapted to engage the shutter when openand return it to the non-voting position and vided with a i'inger adapted to disengage the locking-pawl from the rack,

scribed, the combination with a series of regu lar-voting devices, and a iiexible member having sufficient slack to permit Ithe o eration a single voting'device, and providj 9. `In a mechanism of ,the eharacter de.n

scribed, the combination-with aseries of v ot-4 ing devices and a-ieA 'ble'member having sufficient slack to permit thejoperation of a single voting device, and 'providedv With i a pin, of anindependent-voting shutter having a cam-slot engagedy by said in, said came slotconsisting of inclined and orizontalpor.- tions, the opening oi' said shutter. a'cti- 1;\ gg v to move the pin out of the inclined portion ofy the slotand into the horizontal; pontion-the'reby taking'the' slack out of the iieXble meIn-' vber and locking'y the votingdevices 1n the non-voting' position.- y

series-ofv voting devicesv each having* suiicient slack tev 1'0.In. a mechanism of the character" die-I,I scribed, `the oo bin'ation with' alaality of and` fi'exib e-Inernbers permit the4 op- -eratonffa single voting. device and pro.

pinlsrtle openingof vided' with. 'a' pin,

Qtindependent-votir-ig, shutters havingsca slots engagedv by. saidashutter acting-.to tighten v the; corresponding iexible nieinber and-lock the voting devices, a plurality offwedge-bels; for tligpnrpcseiset forth and a tie-bar', con*-vr 'lockjng the shutters 1n series of voting each having s I i erationof a: single voting device and provided fi sensei necting the Wedgebars and provided'with recasses' sition. v l

1 11. In a mechanism of the character de# scribed, the combinatin with a plurality of devices and ieient slack to'permt the opindependentvoting shutters said pins, the to tighten the with a pin, o having cani-,slots engaged by opening ofa. shutter acting 'corresponding HeXibie-,menlber andlock the voting devices, and a plurality l of restricting# bars each gaged by the' corresponding pin shutter against a restricted voter.

testlmony-Whereof We aii; our signatures in resenee of two Witnesses.

DEDAH N1. SHEPARDSON. oHnnLEs 1H., PITNEY Witnesses B. Cm,

ele-e. o'. n.

'a rest adapted to been` to lock the 

